Disc drives are the primary mass data storage devices used in modern computers. Within disc drives, one or more discs store data on their surfaces. Data may be stored magnetically, optically, or through a combination of both methods. The storage discs are rotated while heads, carrying appropriate transducers fly just above the disc surfaces. The heads fly in such close proximity to the disc surfaces that the transducers optically or magnetically couple to the disc surfaces to either read data from or write data to the discs.
In disc drives, the head flight is a very important design characteristic. If the head flies too far away from the disc surface the resolution with which the head couples data to the disc surface will be decreased. Alternatively, if the head flies too close to the disc surface, it may actually crash into the disc surface thereby damaging the disc, the head, or both. To further complicate the issue, disc surfaces are generally not entirely free from defects, and are not always perfectly flat. As a result, the head will be required to pitch and roll with the topography of the rotating disc throughout flight. However, in order to keep the head on track, in-plane deflection must be minimized during flight. Generally, the heads are coupled to an actuator via a load beam and a gimbal. The gimbal allows the heads to pitch and roll with sufficient compliance, but is also designed to be rigid for in-plane deflection.
The market continually presses disc drive manufacturers to provide greater data capacities and higher data access rates at lower costs. Thus, the art is continually in need of improvements which is increase access speed, and durability, without increasing costs significantly.